Terry Buchanan (b.1938) took an interest in art at an early age, sketching horse-drawn vehicles that were pinned up proudly by his school teachers. At age 16, he was employed by the local council as an architectural draughtsman with the proposal to study for an RIBA qualification, but National Service intervened. After basic training, Terry chose photography over bomb disposal, a decision partly swayed by an incident involving gunpowder and singed eyebrows in his youth. He became an Army Public Relations photographer in Cyprus in 1957.
After National Service, he continued his interest in both drawing and photography, gaining qualifications in the latter, and began to both paint and exhibit large works in oils. He became Chief Photographer for the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, travelling widely to document the built environment. During this period he photographed many prominent artist studios, where he met Michael Rothenstein, Bridget Riley, Elisabeth Frink, Terry Frost and Ken Howard, among many others. It was after a brief discussion with Rothenstein that Buchanan decided to study printmaking.
He studied at St Ives under Naomi Frears and Rachel Kantaris, and also later in Bath. His works are evident of a clear and broad knowledge and understanding of the major 20th Century artistic movements, and are remarkably vivid and fresh, with a distinct depth of meaning across a range of mediums.
Buchanan has exhibited widely, both in the UK and internationally, including at the Milan Exhibition of British Art, The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, Royal West of England Academy, Banqueting House, Whitehall, Leighton House Museum, Kensington, Manchester Museum of Industry, AXIS, Six Chapel Row Contemporary Art and The Podium, Bath.
